Vegetable Group

While we do not often think of vegetables as containing much calcium, some of the greens and other vegetables can help us get to our goal of 1200 milligrams of calcium each day.

Turnip Greens (1/2 cup)

100 milligrams

Mustard Greens (1/2 cup)

50

Kale (1/2 cup)

45

Broccoli (1/2 cup)

45

Rutabaga (1/2 cup)

35

Chinese Cabbage (1/2 cup)

30

ChooseMyPlate.gov recommendations, based on a daily food intake of 2,000 calories, are to consume 2 ½ cups of vegetables every day. While not all vegetables are sources of calcium, deep green and dark yellow vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A. Vegetables are also naturally low in fat and cholesterol and are a rich source of fiber and are also a good source of magnesium, another bone healthy mineral.

When preparing vegetables, try using herbs instead of salt for seasoning. Leave the salt shaker off the table to help you reduce your sodium intake. The label will tell you how many milligrams of sodium are in a serving of the vegetable you are purchasing.